Starting means for vapor electric apparatus.



J. T. H..DE'.DIPSTER.` STARTING MEANS PoR VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 19. 1903.

Patented A131114, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lnvencow tnesses:

J. T. H. DEMPSTER. A STARTING MEANS FOR VAPOB. ELECTRIC APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DEG.19, 1903. 1,093,545, Patented Apr. 14, 191A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l INVENTOR: John T. HDempster,

JOHN. T.

sreerafrien DEMPSTER, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL i i I "`ELECTRIC`GOMPANY, ACORPORATION OE NEW YORK; i M, l y y .sranriue iraniens non {yAori' ysirio"raro Arran-Atrus.

mais@ specimen-mmf Lett'rsfratet. v patented mit@ ajipiiatiaaieaDecember 19,1903.Y sei-mno. 185,771, v

"ToalZ/ivhcmz'tmay concerns. y i

. `Be it vknown that;lf,".lonNvT-.

-a citizen of theUnitedfStates, .residing at` Schenectady,.in the, countyof Schenectady Vand State of Newl .Yoi'l,haveinvented certain newand useful ImprovementsinI Starting Means for Vapor ElectriciAppar-atus,

. offwhichthe following is a specilication.

My present invention relates to vapor electric devices" 'such as lamps, rectiliers or the like, and" comprises means whereby ap paratus of 'this character lm ay be conven-` iently started int operation;

rIlhe points of novelty of the various features of construction of my invention, both in their broad'and limited aspects, I have set forth with particularity 'inthe appended y claims.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, both of the details' of construction of the saine and niode of operation,

Dre-ference isto be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings', in Which-- Figure 1 represents amercury vapor lamp embodying niy'inve1ition5'Figs. 2 Aand 3 are sectional views on aV somewhat enlarged scale of a detailforming part `of aFig. 1;

Fig. le is a modified embodiment of my in-` rention; Fig. 5 1s a modifieddetail form- Y ingpart lof the device shown in Fig.' i;

Fig. 6 isa modification .in which a single niagnetizing' coilisused.; fandfFi'g. 7 is a modification in which current may be conveyed to the filament andv the anodethrmigh the same leadingiu conductor.

ln the drawings I show iny invention einbodied in a mercuryrapor lampbut it is to he understood that. the invention is equally applicable for starting' other vapor' electricdevices. i

In Fig. 1, the exhausted envelop of the lamp consists of .a straight tube 1 which forms the light-giving element of the lai'np, the enlargementtor 'bulb 2; at the top of the `tube forming a condensing"chamber for lthe mereu'ryvva or .generated during normal operation.- helamp lis providedivth two electrodes, one consisting .of'a .body of mei cii'y 3 inthe lowereiid ofthe tube, to which lelectrical connection is niadefby the leading ingconductor 4, and the other of a. cylindrical. body "5 of carbon, graphite or other suitable materialsuspended Afrom the top the lampfthefwire t'ik theV upper end of `rounded .loosely by a glass tube l vto be screwed together.

v'Zand serves 'to transmit current,through the This Wire G'is sur the 'upper end of Which is fused to the Wall. of the b ulb 2 andthe lower end of which fiares over and intoclo's'e proximity to the upper end of electrode 5. From this electrode 5 a filament S of carbon extends tlurough. guides or anchoring` devices 9, 10 and i1 into contact With electrode 3 as indicated. The guides 9, 10 and l1 are provided with bushings l2, 13 and 14k of carbon or similar infusible material so that the filamentif accidentally heated intensely will not stick to the guide or anchoring device, as would be vthe case Were the flatter formed ine-reif; of glass. lnorder to start the lamp the iilament'-8 islifted-that is, bodily displaced lengthwise with respect to the envelop-so as to break connection With the electrode The means whereby this lifting or motion of translation is accomplished Will be. made apparent by reference to Figs. :2 and These gures, which are views in section ofelectrode 5, show the latter to be constructed in two parts 15 and 16 arranged The lower half 16 of the electrode is provided with au axial bore permitting the free movement, therein of an iron or steel tuhe 1T the upper eudof which is split and provided with a nut 'LS fitting tightly thereon so that when screwed into position it urges together the split Wallfof the envelop.

portion of the tube. The iilaincnt ii prou Ning force to the tube 1'4" and its connected -parts I surround the electrode 5,4 when the latter is in place, With a solenoid or nuigneb izing coil 2]. located above the center ot t synnnctry ofthe tube 17 and thi` head or mit Then this coil is energized the pas sage of currer therein, the tube 17 and the nut 18, being oi .magnetic material, torri hei' ist, Hilti.

forni an armature or core for the socuoid, -ili Under the iniueneeA of the magnetic force.

exerted by the solenoid, the .armature is lifted out of its seat and thus raises the filament out of engagement with the mercury 3 in the lower end of the tube 1. The solenoid 21 may be connected in series with the V electrodes of the lamp as shown or supplied sired. In either case with current from a se arate circuitl as deowever as soon as the filament 8'is lifted out of engagement -with the mercury electrode 3- an vincipient arc is f rmed which arc extends instantly tubular projection extending from the upper wall of the condensing chamber 26. A shell 27 of magnetic material is adapted to-slideup and down on the rod 24 and in its lower position is supported by the upset endl 28 of this rod.l A split-screw-threaded lug 29 with axial grooves formed therein 1s adapted when screwed ently into place to clamp the upper end of t e filament 22 into 'iixed relation with .the tubular 'armature 27. The electrode 23 to which reference has been made, is supported from the upper end ofthe condensing chamber 26 by means of a wire or rod 30 sealed through the wall of the condensing chamber and passing down through a tubular glass casing 31 to lthe electrode. aroundwhich itis passed'to hold the latter in place.. In order to ele-l v ate the filament 22 and thus start the lam l set forth the best form of my invention now a solenoid or magnetizing coil'32 surroun s. the upper portionrl'of the tubular armature 27 and,fwhen Nenergized upon-connection of the lamp in circuit, raises the annatureand A'its depending filament 'and thus causes'by reason of the arc produced at the lower end. of the 'lamen't, an immediate starting of` the lamp. By reason of the high resistance` interposed by 'that portion of'the filament c 'between the electrode 23 and the armature by which the filament is carried,l the arc when started extends up the tube.only to thel electrode 23 and not beyond. Currentf therefore practically ceases to low'in' the filament, and consequently in the magnetizing coil 3-1 lin series therewith,4 whereupon the filament tends to drop back to i s original osition. lTo prevent this from a'ppening provide an additional 1n etizi coil 33 connected in series with t efelee' rode 23.

It willthus be seen that whenfcurrent ceasesy to flow in coil 32 it' commences to flow in the coil 33. The'larnent 22 s. theiefore at all times, when theTamp is in operation, held out ofeng'agement; with the mercury electrode ',t will be noted, as indicated by the dotted lines on the electrode 23, that the latter is hollow, and that the lament 22 extends ldown throu h the electrode without touching the sidestv ereof. Ifdesred how'- ever an arrangement may be used such as y lshown in'Fig." 5, inwhich the filament, lin thiscase indicated at 35, extends down through a carbon-hushed guide 36 formed" integrally with theglass tube 37 which surrounds the conductor 38 leading to the electrode 39, whichin this caseis' solid or hqllow as desired. T he lament 35 thus passes alongone side ofthe electrode but not through it, as in Fig. 4. To provide against excessive heating and consequent disintegration of the lower end of the filamentv ofy the lam where it en ages the mercury electrode, te endmay' eenlarged as shown at 40. This enlargement may be integral with the filament and formed out of the same material as 'the filament, or it may be v a separate piece of titanium carbid, graphite or the like cemented or otherwise'secured to 'the end of thevfilament.

The lamp which I have above described may be mounted in a variety of ways.l One `way which I have found convenient is to support the lamp from a conical or other re ector such, for example, as indicated'at 41 in Fig. 1 and in a slight-ly diii'erent form at- 42 in Fig'. 4. In Fig. 1- the magnetizing coil 21 is carried by inwardly extending radial fingers as 43 integral with thereiector. The spaces between 'these ngers form-ventilating openings, such as 44, allowing a cir-J culation ci air for cooling the, condensing chamber 2. Theseiventilatmg openings are shown somewhat more clearly at 45. in Fig.,4. While in the foregoing de scriptionI haveknown to me, I do not wish my claims to be limited to the details of the same, as it will be evidentthat many modifications may be made without departingfrom `the. spirit of'my invention. Thus as an example,

stead of using twomagnetizing coils 32 and '33, Fig. 4, I' may use a single coil 46, Fig.-

6, and, by connecting together thel'leads of thefila'ment 47 and the anode 48, cause-the- -cnrren'tfrom both to pass., through the one 'What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, '-is, -1.A combination of.e1ectrodes one. at

least, of which .isof vaporizable material, a

filament or conductor making contact 'with into.

the -vaporizable electrode and extendeg close proximity to 'anotherof ladel redes, an armature-secured to saidment, and a iis - one of said Huid electrode 425 iinity to said electrode,

:oil in circuit with said filament and operatively related to said armature.

2. The combination of anexhausted envelop, coperating fixed electrodes therein which consists of vaporizable material, a filament initially engaging with said vaporizable velectrode andcapable of a motion of translation in said envelop out of engagement with said vaporizable electrode, an electrical connection'between the filament magnetizing tact with the vaporizable electrode.

`3. The combination of an exhausted envelop, a fluid electrode, electrode and a filament dipping in said electrode and movable bodily with respect to said envelop. v. 4. The combination of an exhausted e11- velop, coperating fixed electrodes therein one 4of which consists of Huid material, a high resistance conductor engaging with said Huid electrode and disengagcable from by a movement of translation. 1

5. Ina device of the character described,

a conducting filament formed of carbon and having one end tipped with titanium carbid.

6. The combination of a sealed envelop, a vaporizable electrode, a non vaporizable electrode, and a filament making contact .with the vaporizable electrode and arranged to pass in proximity to but not in contact with vthe non-vaporizable electrode.

7. The combination of a sealed envelop, a filament therein, an armature cairyin(lr said lament, a. solenoid in operative relation to said armature, an electrode separate from said filament and in circuit with said solenoid, a vaporizable electrode in'eontaet-inakiiig-and-breaking relation to said filament.

8. Thecombination of a sealedv envelop, a

p solid electrode supported therein, a relatively movable filament passing in proxmeans or moving said-filament, and a vaporizable electrode with which the filament is adapted to make and break contact.

9. The combination of a sealed envelop, a

solid electrode supported therein, a relatively movable filament passing through a guide carried in fixed relation to said eleca coperating fixed ltrode, and electrical means for moving said filament. 10. The combination of a sealed envelop having a tubular portion surinounted by a bulb, and a reflector from which the bulbed envelop is supported.

11. The'combination of a sealed envelop having a tubular portion surmounted by a bulb, and a" ventilated reflector carrying the weight of said envelop. g 12. The combination of an exhausted envelop, a vaporizable eleetrode,a cooperating electrode, a filament dipping in said vaporizable electrode, an electrical connection between the filament and the copeiating electrode, and means for moving said filament lengthwise of said envelop and out of con` tact with said vaporizable electrode.

13. The combination of an exhausted en-y velop, fixed main electrodes therefor, one at least of which consists of easily vaporizable material and a filament in contact with the vaporizable electrode and electrically connected to the co'perating electrode, 1said filament being capable or' a movement of translation with respect to said envelop.

14. The combination of an exhausted envelop, fixed electrodes therefor, at least one of which consists of vaporizable material, a movable filament initially contacting at one end with a vaporizable electrode, an electrical connection for the other end of the 1ila- `ment, and means for giving to the filament a lmovement of translation in the envelop to break contact with the vaporizable electrode while maintaining electrical contact with the other end of the filament.

15. The combination of an exhausted envelop, fixed electrodes situated at opposite ends thereof, one of said electrodes consisting of easily vaporiz-.tble material and a lilament in contact with said vaporizable material and movable bodily lengthwise the envelop and out of engagement with said vaporizable material.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of December, 1903.

JOHN T. H. DEMPSTER.

Witnesses:V

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN Ouroicn. 

